Webb Still Leads After a 72

Karrie Webb managed an even-par 72 Friday to stay atop the leader board by a stroke after three rounds of the Evian Masters tournament at Evian, France.

Webb’s three bogeys canceled out three birdies, and a seven-foot putt for birdie on the par-five 18th lipped out. That left her at nine under for the $1.8-million tournament.

The Australian, bidding for her fifth LPGA Tour title and seventh trophy worldwide this year, enters today’s round one shot ahead of Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, who carded a 70, and Silvia Cavalleri of Italy, who had a 68.

“Anyone from four under upwards has a chance,” Webb said. “But Annika has been there before. I could shoot 69 tomorrow and still lose.”

Webb went five strokes in front by sinking an 18-foot birdie putt at the fifth hole but gained no momentum. She three-putted the 17th before wasting the birdie chance on the final hole.

Sorenstam birdied the 17th from three feet, then eagled the last hole by hitting a seven-iron within seven feet.

“Tomorrow will be another opportunity to beat a great player,” Sorenstam said. “This is the place I want to be.”

Cavalleri, who won the 1997 U.S. Amateur, played on the LPGA Tour last year but finished 127th and lost her card. She birdied three of the last four holes Friday.

“Partnering two players like these means I’m at the top,” she said.

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Fred Gibson shot a tournament-record nine-under 63 to take a four-stroke lead after the first round of the Senior PGA Tour’s SBC Championship at San Antonio.

Gibson, 52, made an uphill 12-foot birdie putt on the 545-yard, par-five 18th to break the record of 64 set by J.C. Goosie in 1987 and matched by George Archer in 1992.

“It’s nice to see some putts go in,” said Gibson, who had nine birdies in a bogey-free round on the Dominion Country Club course.

“I drove the ball real well. It’s hard to control it when the ball is in the rough. This is just the first day. Regardless of the outcome the rest of this week, I know I’m playing well enough going into the U.S. Senior Open.”

The U.S. Senior Open begins June 29 at Bethlehem, Pa.

Gibson, who won the 1999 Vantage Championship for his lone senior title, holed three 30-foot putts and one 20-footer.

Walter Hall, playing despite the pain of three kidney stones, opened with a 67.

“I’ve had an interesting week with the kidney stones,” Hall said. “I hit the ball awfully well. I thought about withdrawing early in the week but the emergency-room doctor told me to take it one day at a time.”

Three-time winner Lee Trevino was five strokes back at 68, along with Ray Floyd and Gary McCord. Brian Barnes of England shot a 69, and John Mahaffey, the defending champion in his hometown event, topped an 11-player group at 70.